Harmonica.



No. 642,642. Patented Feb. 6, I900. F. STRAUSS.

HARMONICA.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

\No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

FERDINAND STRAUSS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEWV JERSEY.

HARMONICA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 642,642, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed November 20, 1899. S ri 7371 (N0 111 To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, FERDINAND STEAUss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Harmonicas, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a mouth -harmonica provided with a resonating-chamber, through which the air is ejected from the cellblock to increase the volume and timbre of the tone. The resonating-chamber is of peculiarconstruction and is removabl y attached to the body of the harmonica proper, so that it is optional with the player to use the latter with or without the former.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved harmonica; Fig. 2, an end View thereof; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through the resonating-chamber detached; Fig. 4, a side view of the harmonica proper; Fig. 5, an end view of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, an end View of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7, a bottom View of the resonating-chamber, showing it on a reduced scale.

The letter arepresents the body of a mouthharmonica of the usual or suitable construction, and the letter 7) represents the resonating-chamber adapted to be attached thereto. The chamber 1) is made of conical form, is preferably truncated, and is open at its base Z). Lengthwise the cone is slotted, as at N, the slot serving to establish a communication between the cells of the harmonica a and the interior of the cone.

Near the base b the slot 12 is bridged, as at U, the bridge serving to stiffen the structure and prevent it from being bent or collapsed under pressure. From both edges of the slot b depend bent flanges 11 Fig. 5, which are adapted to engage and interlock with corresponding flanges or rails a, formed along the back of the harmonica-body a. In this way the harmonica-body and the resonating-chamber are removably connected, the latter be= ing readily detached by sliding it lengthwise oif the former.

When the resonating-chamber is attached, the air enters from the air-passages of the cell-block through slot 6 into chamber b and escapes through the open base I). The resonatingchamber serves to concentrate and greatly increase the volume and richness of the tone, while modulations may be readily produced by controlling the escape of the air through the open base I) by means of the palm of the players hand.

Should it be desired to use the harmonica a in the ordinary manner and without the chamber b, the latter is removed by sliding it off the rails a in the manner above described.

What I claim is- 1. A flanged conical resonating-chamber, which has a slotted side and an open base, combined with 'a flanged harmonica-body adapted to be rem ovably-interlocked with the slotted side of said chamber, substantially as specified.

2. Aflanged harmonica-bodycombined with a conical longitudinally slotted and flanged resonating-chamber, having a bridge that extends across the slot, all being so constructed that the flanges of the resonating-chamber are adapted to removably engage the flanges of the harmonica-body, substantially as speci fled.

FERDINAND STRAUSS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM MILLER, F. v. BEIEsEN. 

